


Real Good Jeans

by Doublepasse



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magical Realism, F/F, Female Friendship, Friendship/Love, Hope, Humor, Loneliness, Magical Bond, Magical Realism, Platonic Female/Female Relationships, Platonic Romance, Romantic Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-14
Updated: 2016-09-18
Packaged: 2018-08-15 00:27:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8034937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doublepasse/pseuds/Doublepasse
Summary: 'Take this coin, when you need it, you'll know what to do.' What is it with this odd yet fancy girl with wings in her back walking around with socks? She looks like she comes from outer space, and dares to tell people they have no sense of fashion! Well Mavis finds it quite amusing.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N : Hi! This is a gift for illustraice and itschildofthefairies, who produced a beautiful piece of art, hipster fairy Zeira flying over Manhattan. I decided to give her life with words, and even if I'm not american, I hope you'll like this 'little' one shot xD
> 
> Some Zeira lines are from them, they were so cool I had to put them :) (guess which ones!)
> 
> Thanks xternel for the help :*

There are people you can't help staring at in the streets. Some of them because they're stunningly beautiful and elegant, like they were materialized from a Vogue magazine. Some of them because they're the complete opposite of grace and discretion. Some others because they seem to have access to a dimension where Luna Lovegood is considered perfectly normal…

Then there was her. The girl that was something else. Literally something else. The major feeling she elicited in people was confusion. She was part of the world of Manhattan, with its tall buildings and cosmopolite population, and part of an unknown dream realm you'd wish to visit at least once in your life.

With her angelic face framed by wavy brown hair tied in two low ponytails and the dark red leaves tangled in the strands, she had a soft air of a child who didn't realize she grew up.

However, at first sight, her outfit could make you think she was a fashion girl who really had a high opinion of herself. Real good jeans drawing her adult curves, and a matching heart-shaped top probably quite expensive, revealing enough cleavage to attract guy's eyes on her. Her body screamed 'I'm sexy and I know it'. That was enough to contrast with the childishness of her face.

Her large and long coat, covering the whole length of her limbs and stopping at her knees, added a relaxing tone to her outfit, like it was brushing off the fanciness of her clothes underneath. 'Yeah I know how to dress, so what? You should take example on me if you need to stare.'

This all gave her a confusing look, but that wasn't the shocking part for the voyeurs. She wore socks and wings. Admire the fact that these two elements have nothing in common. Matching socks on her feet because never in the world would she wear socks that would contrast with her clothes, and bright orangish wings gleaming under the sunlight, bouncing lightly in her back when she walked. If she wanted to emphasize her 'little lost girl of neverland' look, she succeeded.

What kind of hipster trend was that?!

Nobody knew. Nobody ever asked her. The girl was a mystery for the inhabitants of XXth Street of Manhattan. Her pretty face showed up every morning at 7:30, stopped at Starbucks, went out with a cinnamon roll and a cappucino in her hands, walked down the whole street, nose in the air and a smile on her face like she was looking at Tinker Bell dancing in the sky, then disappeared at the corner of XYth Street.

Nobody knew who she was, where she lived, or why the hell she wore socks without shoes.

Every morning at 7:28, Mavis got out of her bakery and leaned on the wall, waiting for the strange girl to show up on the opposite sidewalk. Since she settled down in the 'city that never sleeps' a month ago, the sight of the hipster girl every morning was the only happy event of her day. The only thing she waited for. It took her mind off her daily problems, like her rent, the lack of customers, the expensive life she had in Manhattan, her mother…

She craved to talk to the girl. She wanted to know her name, know why she wore socks and wings, discover her personality… Yet she never dared. There was like an invisible barrier between the girl and 'ordinary people', like she was too cool to be talked to, unless she decided the contrary.

Sometimes Mavis saw her speak to people crossing her path on the street. Given their astound look, they probably didn't know her, and didn't realize the honor she was giving them when she criticized their look.

"Seriously girl…that top is from forever73 not forever21…"

"I would definitely not wear bright red lipstick with that blonde hair of yours…"

"Sweetie, algebra is important, but wearing a Pi on your shirt won't get you an A+…"

"This is a handbag, not your lifetime trash-bin…"

Mavis couldn't help laughing secretly at this peculiar girl with socks and wings in her back, giving fashion advice to random people in the street. At the end of every encounter she made, the girl put a sort of golden coin in their hand, gave them a motherly smile and sighed.

"When you need it, you'll know what to do. You poor mortals…"

And she went off, shaking her head in desperation before she put her nose in the air again, sipping on her cappucino.

One morning, Mavis watched the hipster girl's routine at 7:30, then took her usual place behind the counter, waiting for customers to walk in. A few young adults stopped there to buy her a croissant, before rushing outside to catch the next train to work.

As Mavis was bringing more home made treats from the kitchen, she heard the bell ring and hurried to welcome her new customer. She froze on the spot when she recognized _her_.

"Are your cinnamon rolls crunchy?"

Mavis's jaw dropped, unable to process the words coming out of the girl's mouth.

"Did you lose your tongue?" she asked, cocking her head to the side. Someone with poor self-confidence might have thought it was a rude question, but the girl in socks looked genuinely concerned.

Mavis cleared her throat as she put her products on the counter.

"What do you mean, miss?"

"I mean exactly what I said. Are they crunchy?"

"…as crunchy as I can make them."

"Good. Give me one of these then. I won't ever trust these incompetent humans of Starbucks. Look at this, it's not a cinnamon roll, it's cinnamon dough. Nothing consistent to eat, I swear to god…"

Mavis didn't answer. The cinnamon roll the girl was holding looked perfectly normal to her, but she preferred not to lose her new client.

She served her the treat, which the girl examined with suspicious eyes, before nodding in approval.

"Do you need anything else, miss?"

"Yes, I want an espresso."

"I'm sorry, I don't serve that… I'm running a bakery, not a coffee shop, you see…"

"Aw, that's too bad, I guess I'll have to find another place…" the girl said more to herself than to Mavis. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully as she observed the cake again.

"Or…you can buy a cinnamon roll here, and have an espresso at Starbucks."

"I can't do that." she shook her head. "These incompetents served me a cappucino."

"Oh, they took the wrong order?"

"No. I came in as usual, and they served me a cappucino."

Mavis didn't understand. Everyday, the girl was having a cappucino, she was sure of it, because she knew the guy who ran Starbucks, and he told her the girl always took the same thing. She didn't even have to say a word now, because they knew her for six months already, and it was always the same. A cappucino and a cinnamon roll.

"Why didn't you order an espresso if you wanted one?"

"Well it's obvious today is espresso day, isn't it?" the girl searched for Mavis's agreement, but only found a confused look on her face. "When I'm in a bad mood, I take an espresso!"

Mavis almost burst out in laughter. This girl was something else. Starbucks guy didn't notice she was in a bad mood, so he served her the wrong _tacit_ order, and as a result the girl left them.

The baker was about to answer when the bell rang again. New customers was the girl's cue to leave.

"I didn't pay you!" the girl slammed her money on the counter. "When you need it, you'll know what to do. Oh and tomorrow prepare me a cappucino, I'll be in a good mood. Very hot, and no sugar please, this is _so_ not how you drink coffee. I'll pay you an extra, bye!"

The girl left so quickly Mavis didn't have time to reply anything. She gaped at the money.

"Golden coins?!"

* * *

The next morning, Mavis waited behind the counter, like everyday, but a slight excitement could be noticed on her face if you knew her. She was waiting for her odd customer.

She served her 'ordinary' clients in a daze. Her mind was flying far away, anxious at the idea that the hipster girl wouldn't come.

But at precisely 7:30, the door opened, the bell rang, and the dawn sunlight poured in, bouncing on the orangish wings of the girl. She waited for her turn like everyone else, with her enormous fancy coat, her good jeans and matching socks.

"Nice coffee." she tasted it to be sure she had made the right choice the day before. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"How will I know if you're in a good or bad mood?" Mavis asked before she forgot. The girl blinked as if it was an extremely weird question to ask. But then she seemed to remind Mavis didn't know her and it wasn't clear to common people.

"When I'm in a bad mood, my wings don't glow…obviously."

She paid Mavis, and left. Golden coins, once again, but this time there were five coins instead of three. Mavis promised herself she would ask her name next time. And ask her why she wore wings and socks.

"Um miss…? It's my turn, I reckon?"

Mavis realized she had been zoning out and her clients were waiting.

"Do you serve coffee now?"

"No, I'm sorry, she's just a…special client."

* * *

"My poor boy… I'm really sorry your mother has such bad taste… You don't deserve to wear these clothes… Here take this, when you need it, you'll know what to do."

"What the hell are you giving to my son?!"

Mavis rushed out of her bakery, forgetting her client in the middle of their order. An outraged mother was trying to take the golden coin from her son who clutched on it with all his strength, while the hipster girl was watching the scene with a cool interest.

"What's wrong, madam, can I help you?"

"If you can make my son obey and this insane woman disappear, I'll be eternally grateful… Tommy you can't accept what a stranger gives you, it's dangerous!"

"I'm not a stranger. I'm Zeira."

Mavis looked at her. Zeira huh… After a whole week trying and find the courage to ask, it was this mother she didn't even know who gave her what she wanted.

"Please Madam, people are staring… I know this woman, Zeira, she's a client and she gave me the same thing as your son, and it's harmless, I promise!"

"It's your problem if you trust people who should be locked in a hospital!"

"Mom, please, listen to me!"

"No, let's go, we'll discuss this at home." the mother snarled. She grabbed her son's wrist and tugged him, putting distance between them and the bakery, where people already whispered about the scene.

"You never listen when I talk…" the kid whined. He looked behind him, an imploring look in his eyes, and found Zeira's peaceful gaze. She smiled softly and nodded to him. The boy frowned and looked at the coin. A bright smile illuminated his face. He followed his mother without resisting.

"What happened…?" Mavis was agape. She hadn't missed the silent exchange between the boy and Zeira.

The girl in question shrugged and headed towards the bakery.

"With a bit of luck, the boy won't have to wear these thrift shop clothes anymore. Is my coffee ready?"

* * *

Two weeks had passed since the first time Zeira had pushed the door of the little bakery of XXth Street. She still hadn't paid a single dollar for her daily cinnamon roll and cappucino, but Mavis didn't mind. Her visits were a bowl of fresh air in her melancholic life.

Since the baker didn't know what to do with all the golden coins she got, she kept them in a big jar hidden in the closet of her little room above the shop. She still didn't know what use they could be of, but Zeira seemed to take it very seriously, so she didn't throw any of them away.

The strange winged girl now spent at least half an hour with Mavis every morning, eating her breakfast in the shop and talking about people in the street. This one should get a fresh haircut, this one clearly didn't like herself, this one liked himself a bit too much…

She had a way of judging people that some would call very rude and condescending, but Mavis didn't see it like that. Zeira just wanted to help. She didn't see anything wrong into pointing out the lack of elegance in one's outfit, on the contrary, she gave them a favor.

Maybe Mavis was too tolerant, but who cared. Zeira made her happy.

"Are you a fairy?"

"…obviously not." Mavis giggled at the weird ask. She got used to these kind of questions, but sometimes they were still a bit startling.

"You're right. You lack of delicacy and you're not cheerful enough. But you're much better than any other human I've met, so it can be confusing."

"How am I much better?" Mavis decided to follow the game.

"Well, you don't have the typical human judging attitude you know. I can't stand that, people who judge without knowing anything about the person."

"Says the one who called Starbucks incompetent."

"I was in a bad mood. And I only stated facts."

"If you say so," Mavis smirked.

"There's also your looks. Sweet pink fits you. And your little wings in your hair…cool."

Mavis's jaw dropped. Zeira just gave her a compliment. About clothes. The baker never saw her do that.

"…thank you," she smiled and took her 'wings' off her hair. "It's a headband… It was my mother's last present before she…"

Mavis's voice broke. Sadness veiled her pretty face all of a sudden. She clutched the headband in her hands, remembering the first time she saw it a few months ago, at the hospital, her mother's last home. The sick woman thought her daughter would look cute with this, and even if Mavis got some people staring at her in the street, she promised herself to always wear the weird little wings.

"Sweetie, wearing only one color isn't _in_ at all anymore. You need a striking color to boost that pink…"

Mavis looked up in surprise. Zeira snapped her fingers.

"Emerald. Just like your eyes."

"What?"

"Find yourself a nice emerald neckless. Not too big, because girl, you don't need to show off like that, it doesn't suit your personality. Not too small, nobody will see it… And I guess you can't afford a real emerald… But it's alright, find yourself a nice green fake-emerald neckless, and you will look perfect. Take this…" she put a golden coin in her hand. "When you need it, you'll know what to do. Gotta go, bye!"

"You have particular friends, miss…" said an old lady who watched the winged girl leave the shop.

"Very particular…" Mavis shook her head to focus on her work.

* * *

Mavis didn't know why she never asked anything personal to Zeira. Maybe she was scared to learn that she was a schizophrenic who escaped the hospital, or other incredible stuff like that which would explain such a strange attitude.

She needed her to be that weird friend who spoke about humans like she didn't belong to their world. She enlightened her life, and in return she offered her coffee and breakfast, since the winged hipster never thought of paying her with real money even once.

The girl gave her trouble once or twice, as some customers didn't appreciate at all to be told they have poor fashion taste… But overall it was fine, and most of the people Zeira spoke to came back to the bakery, more happy than they were before.

It was like she had a weird power turning men, women and kids genuinely happier and more peaceful. But not at their first meeting, that was for sure.

The most tensed situation Mavis ever encountered, was this young woman wearing skimpy clothes, a big layer of make up on her face, and high heels… Zeira couldn't help telling her opinion about the girl's appearance of course, and before Mavis could stop her, she had already made her so mad her big boyfriend was ready to punch Zeira in the face.

"She didn't mean it, she just wants to help!" Mavis tried to defend her friend.

"How is 'Boys are cute darling but you need your dignity first' meant to help?!"

"Don't take this to the first degree…"

"Babe, I think they're both sayin' shit, there's no degree in USA, it's Fahrenheit."

"Where did you buy all that muscles? You should go back and trade them for brains instead."

"Zeira!"

"You're right that's enough. Guys, take these…"

Mavis was sure the guy, whose forehead vein was ready to pop, would punch Zeira if she tried to give them her usual golden coins, but they both seem entranced by her all of a sudden. They took their coin and left without causing any trouble.

A few days later, make-up girl opened the bakery door, in the afternoon, a big smile on her face, and asked Mavis to thank 'the sassy winged girl' for her. She laughed as she said that she was right, she definitely needed her dignity. She was still wearing skimpy clothes, high heels, and enough make up to color your cheek if she kissed you. She left, illuminating everyone crossing her bright way. Brilliant, happy, mesmerizing.

Mavis wondered if she wasn't dreaming.

* * *

There was a time where Mavis thought she'd die from exhaustion. Her bakery was working so well now, she had to wake up very early to prepare more and more products. This happened almost two months after the first time she spoke to Zeira.

Despite Mavis's motivation, dark circles became permanent beneath her eyes, and her customers started to ask her to be careful. She was young, she needed to take care of herself.

"Girl, seriously. Working hard is necessary to live, but killing yourself at work is just stupid. Take an assistant."

Zeira's frank suggestion sunk in Mavis's mind for a week, before she decided to call her cousin, Yuri Dreyar, who was also a baker. To her great joy, he accepted to help her, but unfortunately, Mavis didn't plan he would meet Zeira on his first day.

"Hi, welcome to Vermillion Bakery, how can I help-"

"Oh hun…orange?!"

"Excuse me?"

"Honey, you can't wear orange. Orange is SO not your color."

"…what?!"

"You need to take this off right away."

"Okay, stop that, or I'll have to ask you to leave the shop."

"You can't, I didn't get my coffee and my cinnamon roll."

"Oh, so you want a cinnamon roll?"

"Not before you take this hideous shirt off, like, for real."

"Why are you mocking me like that?!"

"There is absolutely nothing funny about a blond guy wearing orange."

Mavis arrived just in time to stop Yuri from calling the police.

"You know this girl?!"

"Yes, she's my friend… I'm sorry, I should have warned you about her…"

"Yeah, you shoulda, I never met someone so annoying and condescending!"

"Hey! She just wants to help, that's all!"

"It's alright, Mavis, it's not his fault he has absolutely no vibe for clothes or human psychology."

"Excuse me?! I don't need to get lectured on fashion and psychology by a girl who wears fairy wings like a kid and socks!"

"Like a kid…?" Zeira frowned, blinking several times as if she hadn't heard well.

"Okay, that's enough, Yuri, I have work for you in the kitchen, go!"

Yuri obeyed to her cousin but grumbled profanities until he disappeared through the kitchen door. Mavis sighed in exhaustion and observed her weird friend. She was still the same after these two months. Same wings, same leaves in her hair, same weird contradictory outfit…

"Hey Zeira… Why do you wear socks?"

"You don't like my socks?"

"I do, but…why don't you wear shoes?"

"…I don't need shoes since I fly most of the time."

"…you don't mean it that way right?" Mavis asked in concern. She was used to Zeira's eccentricity, but this was too weird to be ignored.

Zeira laughed, then she sat cross-legged. In the air. With no support under her legs. Her orange wings flapping for the first time since Mavis met her.

The baker clasped her hand against her mouth to hold back a scream. Her bottom found its way on the chair behind her. This was not real. This couldn't be.

"This time you really lost your tongue."

"What- just- how?!"

"How? Well I don't know, all fairies have wings naturally, I mean, we were born that way. The difference lays in the shape, color, speed, and fashion. Some fairies have bad taste, but not as much as human in my opinion, you seriously lack of color vibe."

Mavis let her babble about how fairies were better than human and that's why they visited human realm to help them. Still in shock, she slapped her cheeks twice.

"Honey, you can buy some blush at Sephora if you want your cheeks pinker." Zeira said with concern.

"You are…a fairy?!" Mavis exclaimed in shock.

"Yes, of course…" Zeira rolled her eyes as she landed on the ground. She headed towards the entrance, and turned the little sign hung on the door, so that people outside would read 'closed'. "You obviously are in no state to work."

Mavis didn't protest. She was staring at Zeira, doubt in her eyes.

"…do that again?"

Zeira smiled and flapped her wings again. She flew all the way to the counter, and sat where the customers put their money.

"…so these are real…" Mavis pointed at the orangish glowing 'tissue'.

"Yes. What's the point of wearing wings if you can't fly with them?"

"And you said there are other people like you?"

"Not people. Fairies. We're not human."

"It can't be true… You're the only person with wings wandering in New York, and people would know if there were…non-humans among us."

"Girl, your people are _so_ oblivious they can't even understand _I'm_ not human, how on earth could they discover the other ones?"

"…you mean they're hiding?"

"Obvi!"

"But why?"

"I forgot, there's a law about that, I never read it." Zeira brushed it off. Mavis was sure she must cause as much trouble in the fairy world – if it really existed – as in the human world.

"…this is insane!"

"What's insane?"

Mavis jolted when she heard the male voice. Yuri didn't seem to have heard the conversation, thankfully, or he would have already called the police.

Zeira left the bakery, and Mavis decided to trust Yuri with the shop. She needed to take the day off.

Lying on her small bed, Mavis contemplated the ceiling of her room like she had been doing that all her life. Eyes widened, dark circles on her pale skin, she looked like a vampire waiting for the night to come.

Zeira…was not human. She looked like a human. A crazy one. Who always talked about 'mortals' like she didn't belong there. And who could fly. With real wings. Glowing when she was in a good mood. It was no trick, Mavis saw them flap in the air.

Or maybe she thought she saw them. Maybe it was just a dream, and she would wake up soon, realizing Yuri hadn't started his first day yet. She pinched her arm. Nope, it was no dream. The girl in real good jeans could fly.

Mavis jumped off her bed and opened her closet. She took the jar almost completely full of golden coins with precaution and put it on her desk/dinner table. She prudently grabbed one of the coins, fearing it might explode in her hands.

Nothing exceptional. It was golden, it had a star sculpted on both sides.

_'When you need it, you'll know what to do…'_

Obviously Mavis didn't need these coins today, if they really were of any sort of help…


	2. Chapter 2

"I thought about what you told me yesterday."

"Good for you sweetie, thinking is the trigger to evolution, if you know how to handle it."

"So you're a fairy." Mavis pursued, ignoring Zeira's comment. "A non-human person. Who can fly. With magic. From a different land."

"Different realm. But yes."

Mavis frowned in deep concentration as she watched Zeira snoop in her cupboards. That morning, Mavis had caught the fairy and locked them in her room, leaving Yuri run the bakery by himself.

"How long has your realm…existed?"

"I don't really know. Same time as yours I guess."

"But…what are you doing on Earth then? Why are your friends hiding? Why haven't we ever heard of real fairies? Has Tinker Bell really existed? Why-"

"Slow down girl, I may be a fairy, but I can't answer all that at once."

Mavis apologized and waited with impatience until Zeira settled down on her bed next to her and stopped eating her lollipop.

"Tinker Bell was no real fairy, but obviously mortals learned about the existence of fairies, hence the myths. We are visiting your world to help you because I swear, you poor humans have such problems, I mean, just looking at your wardrobe is enough to realize you have absolutely no vibe and no idea how to take care of yourself."

"You know someone who would care more than me would take it wrong?"

"Why? In the end they're happy I came to them. It's my duty to help all the people of XXth Street."

"So all the people you criticize…you're actually helping them? So you're some kind of fashion fairy who help people dress better?"

Mavis couldn't believe this conversation was a serious one…

"Somehow…" Zeira only answered, a malicious glint in her eyes.

"But what about the coins then? They have some kind of magic, am I right?"

"When you need it-"

"Yes I know, I'll know what to do with them…" Mavis rolled her eyes. "But can't you tell me? Is it a secret or something? And why did you tell me you're a fairy _yesterday_? Why not tell me since the beginning, since you're not really hiding yourself?"

"I take what I said back, you think too much."

Mavis sighed. She was impossible. There was so much mystery about her. She had to believe her now, she saw Zeira fly several times…but it was still difficult to admit all this was real. Unless…

"Could take me to your world someday?" she asked timidly.

"No mortal can come. You couldn't read the portal's aura."

"Aura?"

"Yes. Every living being has an aura. The portal to my world let slip a bit of our auras, it's necessary to see them or you can't pass the door."

"Okay…" Mavis was more and more confused. She started to wonder if she wasn't just hallucinating.

"Sweetie, seriously, I know you admire me, but you shouldn't walk around foot naked. Here, take th-"

"Oh stop it!" Mavis smashed the coin. It rolled on the floor, disappearing under her desk.

"You're angry."

"You realized all by yourself? _Bravo_." Mavis spat. She stood from the bed and walked to the window.

"Well it's not difficult to understand, your aura turned red."

Mavis took her face in her hands, leaning her elbows on the window sill. "What the hell are you saying now?"

"Your aura. I told you. Everyone has one. Yours turned red. Now it's more like a soft orange-grey. With a pinch of black…you're suspicious…and scared."

"Yes."

"You don't believe me, but you realize I can't make up all these stuff, you saw me fly after all. So you're torn apart, you don't want to lose me, but you're wondering if I'm really sane and if I couldn't be a dangerous psycho. You're also wondering if _you're_ not the psycho. You absolutely don't know what to do right now."

"You read all that in my 'aura'?" Mavis asked in a very tired tone.

"That's how I see who needs my help."

"There you go, confusing me again."

"There's nothing to be confused about though. You mortals are completely oblivious to your own colors and elegance. I'm just here to help you see them."

"An aura can have elegance?"

"Of course. It's a general tone that can be kind, joyful, malicious, scared, selfless, suspicious, self-confident, self-loathing… Yours is…melancholic."

"So it's my state of mind. But I don't see the link with elegance." Mavis said as she stared at the little piece of sky above the tall buildings. Her head hurt.

"Elegance is about harmonious grace and movement, shape and color ease of someone's appearance, at least for you mortals. For us fairies, it also includes your aura. Look down there…"

Zeira leaned on the ledge next to Mavis, and pointed at a fine woman walking in the street. Fancy clothes, not showing off, she looked like a business woman ready to rule stock exchange.

"Does she look elegant to you?"

"Yes…?"

"She doesn't for me. Her aura is troubled, no elegance in the general tone, and the colors keep changing, blending with each other in a disharmonious way. It's probably because she caught her husband cheating on her with her sister. But he doesn't know yet…yeah that's it, she doesn't know what to do. Should she make a scandal and leave him? Her family would pity her…she can't stand being pitied. She fought all her life to get what she wanted. But she can't stay with her husband. Trust is gone, now only pain and hatred remains…"

"…you can read all that?!"

"Yes. When I meet her again, I'll tell her looking like a model working for Prada won't make her look fancy like she intends, it just shows a lack of originality and creativity."

"…and you'll give her a coin."

"Yes."

Mavis observed the odd girl next to her. She would never stop to surprise her. She was so much more than Mavis thought. And yet she thought she knew better than the outraged men and women who were told they had poor fashion taste.

She actually knew nothing.

Whatever the coins did, Mavis was sure it would help anyone Zeira decided to help. But then…

"Why do you keep giving me all these coins? I have a whole jar of them… Do I need so much help?" she asked with concern.

For the first time, Zeira seemed to have trouble answering. She was searching for her words as she deciphered Mavis figure. And probably her aura.

"…you don't need more help than all the others. Just a different kind. I can't tell you more."

Mavis was sure a wave of frustration colored her aura. This was unfair. Why couldn't she know?!

"Do you want to fly?"

Zeira opened the window, then jumped on the ledge.

"…won't people notice us?" Mavis wondered if she could trust Zeira with her safety. The fairy could be reckless.

"It's rare that you mortals notice what's in front of your nose you know…" Zeira smiled brightly. She only gave that smile to Mavis, and each time she felt her heart explode in happiness.

"Okay then…let's go fly!"

"Change these clothes first, this is _so_ not a suitable outfit to fly."

* * *

When the two friends came back from their flying trip, the sun was starting to fade in the skyscrapers landing. Mavis couldn't remember the last time she felt free and at peace. A brilliant smile wouldn't leave her face, even if she forced it.

Zeira closed the window behind her, then looked at Mavis with a sad smile.

"Did you have fun?"

"Definitely. It's the first time I could forget my problems since my mother died." Mavis said as she collapsed on her bed. She looked at Zeira, grateful eyes shining in the twilight. "…thank you."

"Mavis! Hey Mavis, you're here?"

The woman and the fairy jumped on their feet as they heard Yuri climbing the stairs. Mavis's cousin knocked on the door, then came in without waiting for an answer.

"Sorry to bother you…and you too," he shot daggers to Zeira. He still didn't like her. "but there is a group of odd women downstairs, who asked to speak with both of you."

"Both?" Mavis startled. She glanced at Zeira. The fairy fixed her long coat that was wrinkled because of the wind, then walked with a resolute pace towards the stairs.

"Let's go see what they want." she only said.

Dowstairs, in front of the counter, stood three beautiful young ladies. When Mavis saw them, she understood why Yuri called them odd… Individually, each of them was graceful and charming, but all three together… It was like an exploding combo of delightfulness. Like a moth to the flame, all eyes would be glued to them. They were too attractive together to be real.

Mavis understood right away they were the same as Zeira. The only difference was that they dressed like humans. No wings. And they wore shoes.

"Zeira," the tallest one nodded to Mavis's friend. She had dark blond curly hair, and piercing green eyes behind her glasses. "you crossed the line."

"I'm fine, thanks for asking, Evergreen. Still looking as unicolored as ever. You know, just because you're a fairy doesn't mean you can lack of elegance without being judged."

The said Evergreen was about to reply, when she spot Mavis behind Zeira. She frowned and cocked her head to the side. "Who are you?"

"…I'm Mavis. Mavis Vermillion. Didn't you say you wanted to talk to me too?"

"…for a moment I thought you were… Never mind." she brushed her confusion off. "Zeira, you spent six months pushing the limits, we were very tolerant until then. But today, you went too far."

"What did I do?" Zeira asked as she sniffed on the last unsold cinnamon roll abandoned in the bakery.

"You know perfectly well. Lucy, read the sentence."

The blondest girl of the group cleared her throat, unrolled a parchment and read it very solemnly.

"Zeira, Fairy of Tenrô Island, licensed in Human Misery Assistance, you have deliberately revealed to a human being your true nature, despite having signed the secrecy clause at the beginning of your formation. You therefore are dismissed, and are never allowed to enter the human realm ever again. A further punishment is being discussed as we speak, regarding the impact of your wrong on the said human, Mavis Vermillion."

Lucy fell silent. She rolled the parchment back and made it disappear in her handbag.

Mavis blinked several times. She stared at Zeira, confused. The winged girl was eating the cinnamon roll, looking as peaceful as ever.

"Wait, does it mean…"

"Seems like this is time for goodbyes hun…" Zeira finally spoke, looking in Mavis's eyes.

"What?! No! You can't go! You can't make her leave!" Mavis said to Evergreen as she stood between Zeira and the three fairies. "Zeira did nothing wrong, I-I guessed it, I made her reveal her secret!"

"Honey, they can see your aura just like me, lies are as easy to read as a book for us…"

"Zeira is right, Miss Mavis, besides we are aware of everything happening in your realm when a fairy is involved." said the last fairy, a tiny blue haired girl who looked very sorry for the human girl.

"You don't understand, I need Zeira, she's my friend, I can't…" Mavis lost her words. She was trembling. "I promise I won't say a thing, I'll keep the secret, please, let her stay here…"

"I'm sorry Miss Vermillion, but we can't do that." Evergreen replied, heartless. "We have a code to follow. Zeira will be banned from the human realm forever, she won't be allowed to help humans anymore, and you and your cousin will have all your memories of her removed."

Mavis's heart stopped. It was impossible…

"You can't! You can't!" she yelled. Blood rushed to her head, tears started to gather in her eyes. "You have no right! No right to do that!"

"Mavis…" Zeira's sad tone sunk in the baker's mind… She wouldn't fight to stay with her…

"If you remove my memories, it's like Zeira never existed! You can't do that! She made me happier than anyone could have, just by being here! Please…"

Tears were rolling on her cheeks now. For a moment, Evergreen seemed to hesitate. The two other fairies looked ready to give up on the sentence.

"What's happening?! Mavis you're okay?!" Yuri barged in the room, a bat in his hand, ready to beat the hell out of the people making her cousin cry.

This vision brought Evergreen to her senses. She snapped her finger, and in an instant Yuri fell on the ground, snoring like he'd been sleeping for hours.

Mavis's eyes widened in horror as she realized how powerful the fairy was.

"Zeira, let's go. Miss Vermillion…I'm sorry but this is for the best. You won't remember this encounter tomorrow, and your life will go back to what it was before Zeira burst into it…" she made a pause before she added "…and don't worry, you can't miss what you can't remember."

"No…no…" Mavis sobbed, paralyzed on her spot. She desperately looked at Zeira, hoping she would grab her and fly away with her. But the odd winged fairy who never wore shoes gave her a soft smile, the one she always gave her before handing her a coin.

"Goodbye Mavis…"

Her vision became blurry. Her eyelids became heavy. She didn't feel herself fall on the ground.

"It's going to be all right…"

_No…_

_No…_

_I don't want to forget…_

_This can't be happening…_

_My life will be so dull without you…_

* * *

_Three months later…_

"No Mom, I won't come… I'm sorry, I prefer to stay with Mavis… I know the family will take it wrong, but it's her choice, and I don't want to leave her alone… No, I don't think a memorial reunion will make her feel better, she's already been pretty depressed for a long time…"

Yuri sighed. His family never understood Mavis couldn't stand these memento sharing about her mother… She had no parents anymore – her father died when she was young – and no siblings. Lonely for over a year now, the young woman tried to forget her pain through hard work.

However Yuri had never seen her so depressed before. Life was like drained out of her for a couple of months and he couldn't understand why. Mavis went to see a shrink, but her state didn't get better.

"Yuri?"

The young baker internally cursed when he realized Mavis had heard his conversation with his mother.

"Mom I gotta go… Yes, I'll call you back…"

"Yuri, if you want to go, you can. It's been a while since you met your family."

"And leave you run the bakery all by yourself during Christmas? No way I'll miss the fun of baking pudding!"

"I don't do pudding…but that's a nice idea…" Mavis smiled. Yuri always felt hope when he saw this rare smile on her face. "I'll look into a recipe."

"I can do it for you!"

"I'm a big girl, don't worry." she winked. Yuri laughed awkwardly, then disappeared in the kitchen, leaving Mavis run the counter in his place.

She sighed as she watched him walk away. The boy cared too much about her, it wasn't good for his own health. Mavis felt guilty, but she couldn't force him not to worry about her…

The baker tried her best all the time to look fine, but it was almost impossible sometimes… Something heavy was on her heart for a while, and she couldn't comprehend the nature of her pain. Even her shrink couldn't help her understand.

She knew she had to keep living, keep being well and healthy, for her mother and father, and for her cousin… But she didn't know how to fight this hurtful melancholy that was weighing on her harder every day.

Now regularly, on her way to pick up some baguette for a customer, she tripped on the flat floor… She had gotten so skinny her shoes became too large for her feet.

This wasn't normal, her shrink had advised her to go see a psychiatrist.

"Hello, what can I do for you?" she gave her best smile to the new customers. She had to be strong. Everybody had their own battle, she couldn't let herself brought down by a silly blues.

"Oh my god!"

Mavis looked up. A blonde girl in the line was on the phone, looking panicked.

"Of course, Levy, I'm coming right away, but call 911 this instant! I'm on my way…"

The blonde ran out of the shop so fast she didn't hear the customer next to her calling her.

"Miss! Miss! You forgot your book!"

"Oh my, I hope she will be fine…" the lady Mavis was serving mumbled.

The baker nodded, wondering where she had seen the girl before… she felt oddly familiar.

"Um Miss Vermillion, maybe you can keep her book? She might come back to get it back."

"…sure, give it to me, I'll take care of it." Mavis took the book in a daze. She felt immediately attracted to the cover. There was no title, just a drawing, representing a girl with wings and a magic wand… The girl was drawn in such a realistic way she almost looked alive.

"Miss…? Can I get the change please?"

"Of course, I'm sorry!"

* * *

That book was staring at her. Mavis wasn't hallucinating. It was surreal…

After closing the shop, she had had the bad idea to take it with her upstairs, and now she was regretting it. Every sense in her told her to open the book and read it. But it wasn't hers! It belonged to the blonde lady who made it fall and forgot it.

Mavis brushed her teeth, put her pyjamas on, snuggled in her bed, and turned the light off.

Five minutes later, she switched it back on. She couldn't resist a whole night with this weird book parasiting her mind.

The cover was thick and looked old. No title, no author. What kind of book was that?!

Mavis opened it.

_Once upon a time, there was a human girl, born with a special gift…_

A fairy tale. Perfect.

_She had the ability to see in people's hearts, understand their sorrow, and see the solutions they couldn't perceive. She took it upon herself to help most of them, using different tricks and making sure nobody would find out about her difference._

_However, it wasn't always enough. She failed to help some people, and was forced to endure men and women's sorrow, knowing she wouldn't be able to set them free. It was surely driving her insane._

_How useful could her gift be if she didn't have the right tools to use it? She couldn't stand it anymore. She had the knowledge, but not the power. So she prayed the gods to give her the power to help others, in exchange of a lifetime dedication to her task._

_The gods saw her heart was selfless and generous, so they accepted to share a tiny part of their power with her. Magic to grant wishes, and wings to accomplish her duty more easily._

_But there was a price to this gift. The empowered girl had to give up on her human life. She would no longer belong to their realm, and would have to do her job in a complete secret._

_The girl accepted with no remorse. She could finally use her abilities in the most optimal way, for the humans' sake and her own._

_Thus was born the first fairy._

"Wow!" Mavis exclaimed. "I never heard of a tale like that!"

She turned the page. A new tale followed this one, but the author's note caught her attention.

_It is unknown whether the legend of the first fairy has a part of truth or not. Do fairies originally come from the human line? Many writings and research hint to that theory, but there is no evidence for now._

_Nevertheless, what is absolutely certain, is that every five hundred years, a human is born with the aura of a fairy. This human can have the ability to read auras or not. They can also sometimes have our magical power. But most of the time, they live like normal human beings, and have absolutely no clue they are different._

_Our archives show that most of the time they feel like they don't belong to the human world, but some of them live a great human life, spreading happiness and generosity around them._

_That's why when this human is discovered by our community, we decide to observe them for a certain duration, then decide whether to reveal their true nature or let them live their human life._

Mavis frowned. What the hell was this note? Was it part of the tale…? The author was speaking like…fairies really existed. That was insane.

_When the human learns about their nature and the possibility to become a fairy, they are left with the choice between our two worlds. They cannot go back to being human if they decide to join us._

A flash of orange appeared in Mavis's mind. It faded quickly, to her great frustration. It was like a lost memory she desperately tried to grasp.

This story was weird. Very weird. It made Mavis uncomfortable. As if every word was real…as if it was meant for her.

Fairy…wings…magic…crunchy cinnamon rolls…

_Honey, this grey aura doesn't suit you at all, and this dull face is not one you want to share with the world…_

Mavis jolted. The words weren't written on the books two minutes ago… Why could she imagine perfectly well the voice matching these words?!

_Come meet me soon…_

_Zeira_

Zeira…Zeira Zeira… orange… cinnamon rolls… glowing wings… socks… fairy… golden coins…

Mavis gasped. She jumped out of her bed, opened her closet, and searched frantically through the pile of clothes until she reached it. The jar where she had kept the odd coins. She never knew why she had those, but she kept them all, because of an unexplained intuition.

Mavis carefully brought the jar on her bed. She took one of the coin. A star decorated each face.

_When you need it, you'll know what to do_

Her hands were trembling.

_Are your cinnamon rolls crunchy?_

Tears rolled on her cheeks.

_What's the point of wearing wings if you can't fly with them?_

A bright smile illuminated her face for the first time in months, as she sobbed, clutching the coin.

_You don't need more help than all the others. Just a different kind._

"Zeira…" Mavis whispered.

_You can't miss what you can't remember._

"I'm so glad I remember…"

Mavis hugged the jar like it was the impersonation of her friend. Then her gaze flickered to the book, still open at the page where Zeira's words had appeared. But this time the words had changed.

_Now you know what to do_

"Yes!" Mavis ran to the window, opened it, then she sat down on the floor, the jar full of coins and the book against her chest.

"I wish… I wish to become a fairy, and live with Zeira forever, helping humans with her until the day I die…"

A sudden wind swung in her face, then stopped just as quickly as it started. The hundreds of coins began to glow in the dark, hypnotizing the girl. They exploded into billions of shining particles, whirling around Mavis like a miniature tornado.

Mavis closed her eyes and sighed, feeling all the sorrow of her heart vanish in a second.

_Took you long enough…_

Mavis giggled before everything turned black.

* * *

When Yuri barged into Mavis's room the next day, worrying because she was unusually late, he found nothing but a big empty jar covered in dust in the middle of the room. Mavis was nowhere to be found, but none of her personal belongings had left the bedroom.

Her disappearance joined the most mysterious unsolved cases of the police records. There was absolutely no hint of a crime or a kidnapping, and the girl's body was never found.

The young woman's family had trouble recovering from this new tragedy, except for her cousin.

Yuri Dreyar, whenever he was asked how he felt about the mysterious case, always gave the same answer.

"I think she's in a better place now, wherever she is, helping other people with her generous nature… I think she is happy now…"

He always kept in his pocket an odd golden coin he found under Mavis's desk the day she disappeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the last chapter of this little story :)   
> I dedicate this story to every lonely and sad people out there. It's gonna be okay. You'll find your Zeira :)


End file.
